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Travelers at Salt Lake City International Airport will soon have the option of enrolling in the Clear program. Membership will allow them to avoid long security lines after going through a background check and paying a fee.

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Airline deregulation is a success for consumers by some measures, observers say. Flying is less expensive and carriers offer service to more cities. However, the industry remains vulnerable to high fuel prices, and many airlines have filed for bankruptcy protection. Airlines have also scaled back service at some hubs after merging with other carriers.

A document released by the DOT inspector general said Continental Airlines flight crews reported that their planes ran low on fuel nearly 100 times in 2007 as they approached Newark Liberty International Airport. None of the flights landed with less than the minimum amount of fuel required by the FAA. An Air Transport Association spokesman stressed that carriers would never cut corners on safety, which remains the top priority for U.S. carriers.

Southwest Airlines said first-quarter profits fell from $93 million last year to $34 million in the first quarter of 2008. The airline attributed the decline in profits to higher fuel costs and the weaker economy. It said it will scale back plans to grow this year.

Domestic scheduled airlines flew 18.7 million hours in 2007 with no fatal accidents, according to government data released Wednesday. "The U.S. aviation industry has produced an admirable safety record in recent years," said NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker. "However, we must not become complacent. We must continue to take the lessons learned from our investigations and use them to create even safer skies for all aircraft operators and their passengers."